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Travelers going abroad are forced to burst their bubble due to the high demand for international flights after closing.
A passenger on an Air New Zealand flight to Los Angeles was surprised to discover that he had been sitting next to a stranger.
The entire plane was full and there was no free seat on the plane, the passenger wrote on Twitter.
“I love how they are” keeping a distance of two meters when boarding “and then they are all packed,” said the passenger.
“There is not a single empty seat on the plane. Completely oversized.”
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman told the New Zealand Herald that there were no recommendations for two-meter social distancing on international flights.
However, that was not the case for domestic flights where passengers would be separated by at least one meter below alert level 2.
“Air New Zealand follows the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the WHO to ensure that the flights are safe for the crew and our clients,” he said.
“All the appropriate contract tracking measures have been put in place; we know where everyone is sitting on the plane and we have customer contact details.”
The airline was working to provide neighbor-free seats where possible on international flights, the spokeswoman said.
Due to the high demand for international travel, as stranded citizens headed home after level 4, this was not always possible.
“Aircraft cabins also have operating theater-grade hospital HEPA filters installed, which filter out viruses. Airflow is directed from ceiling to floor.”
Improved cleaning was also being carried out on the aircraft, cabin services had been modified, and changes had been made to the boarding and disembarking process.
Nationwide, just under half of Air New Zealand’s seats would be sold on turboprop flights, and ticket sales on A320s would be just under 65 percent.
Until social distancing measures are removed, the airline will not be able to offer its lowest fairs to ensure operating costs are covered.
Air New Zealand would be running a limited schedule of approximately 20 percent of its usual domestic services during Tier 2.
A spokesperson for the Health Ministry said it had not provided any guidance on physical distancing requirements for international flights.
“The ministry is currently working with Air New Zealand on specific guidance for domestic travel,” they said.
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